Transition
by love comes and goes
Summary: The development in their relationship as time wears on. Drabbles.
1. Chapter 1

She wasn't as surprised as she probably should be to have returned to old habits. Damon was less than a healthy person, but then again, neither was she so the idea is a whole lot less worrying that it might have been had she still been human. Dysfunctional is just a trait that seems to be part of the Vampire package.

Which was why Caroline didn't have second thoughts when Damon pounced on her for sex. Or was it the other way around?

"Vampire sex rocks." Caroline felt compelled to mention as they lay in bed. She was on the left, he was on the right, and it was an odd observation to make because it shouldn't mean anything, but the distance between them did, and Caroline was glad to find that just because they had sex, it didn't mean she hated him any less. In fact, she was wishing she had a weapon hidden somewhere to make her feel safer because even now, she didn't believe for a second that Damon wouldn't take this opportunity to drive a stake through her heart.

But instead of attacking, Damon merely smirked, and draped an arm over her chest.

"So does Vampire stamina."


	2. Chapter 2

Of course Stefan would know, and the idea, again, doesn't bother her as much as it should. Stefan had already seen all her faults so her mistakes shouldn't be all that different. It made her wonder if she could talk about having sex with his older brother or if that would be too weird? Well, it might at least be a bit of fun to make Stefan uncomfortable.

"Are you sure you know what you're getting yourself into?" Stefan asked worriedly. He, better than anyone, would know what it was like to get himself into a pickle with Damon.

"Of course not," Caroline said with a scoff. "But it's too late for backing out now isn't it?" she said with a shake of her head. "Don't worry. I don't hate him any less."

Stefan sighed, but said no more on subject.


	3. Chapter 3

"Elena knows we're having sex."

Damon blinked at the statement, and turned his unwavering gaze of the fireplace to Caroline who was leaning against the thresh hold. He had heard her coming, but certainly didn't think she would talk to him. They tended to avoid each other for anything other than sex, and Damon wasn't sure how to feel about the sudden change in dynamic. He thinks he should probably get rid of her, but he was sure Stefan and Elena would give him grief so he settles on cold disinterest. It wouldn't kill him to humor her—she was a constant source of entertainment after all.

"Oh?"

"She thinks I'm taking advantage of you," Caroline said, her lip quirking in amusement.

"Odd. She told me the same thing." He admitted. Caroline laughed and Damon, oddly enough, didn't have the urge to dispose of her. Maybe it had something to do with the bottle of scotch he'd already downed. The thought seemed true enough so he smirked sloppily as Caroline gracefully toppled over the couch, and made herself comfortable.

"It makes me think you might have a chance with her after all," she said as she gave him a quick once over.

"Do you now?" Damon questioned, his curiosity peaked. He walked over, towering over her small frame, forcing her onto her back, and straddling her. The idea of the smell of sex wafting throughout the place made him hard.

"She just can't leave you alone. That's gotta mean something."

Damon paused to consider her words before quickly undoing her jeans and flipping her over.

"I'll worry about it later."

Really, it wasn't fun to talk about Elena when he was trying to have sex with her in one of his favorite positions.


	4. Chapter 4

Both Damon and Caroline had awkward confused looks on their faces when they realized that they were together, and _not_ having sex.

"Are we on a... _date_?" Caroline wondered incredulously. She pinched her wrist to see if it was real, and not a dream before looking around the moderately nice restaurant they somehow ended up in. It wasn't supposed to be a date, just a way to get out of the house because Elena tended to forget about Vampire hearing. They both met at the door, trying to escape the noise, and just ended up leaving together.

"No." Damon quickly answered, taking a nice long sip of his vodka. Caroline stared at him in envy before quickly turning to the door when a familiar voice met her ears.

_Matt_

Caroline turned back around to pretend she hadn't noticed him at all, and glared at Damon's raised eyebrow.

"You still _love_ the human?" Damon mentioned, saying the word love with apparent disgust.

"Well, I can't just make it _stop_," she said, blowing her bangs away from her eyes. "These things take time."

"_Right_." Damon muttered from his glass.

"Oh, don't pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about," Caroline said with a wave of her hand. Damon glowered at her statement, but didn't deny it which made her smile. He finished his glass, and set it down, suddenly giving her an intense stare that made her slightly nervous. It reminded her all too much of their horrible escapades in the past.

"If he came over here right now, and asked you if you could "talk", what would you do?" Damon asked, making brief quotation marks with his fingers. If it wasn't for the question, she would have smiled at the sight. Sarcastic Damon always made her smile for some reason. She shook her head of the thought and took a moment to think over her answer.

"The truth? I have no idea. I'd might say yes, but maybe later, when, you know, we're not on a _date_. I wouldn't want to hurt your feelings," Caroline said, smirking. Damon rolled his eyes, but couldn't help, but smirk back. It was odd to think that Caroline wasn't annoying. That maybe—just maybe—he wouldn't mind staying in her presence for an extended period of time.

How odd.


	5. Chapter 5

"Something's wrong." Caroline breathed, pulling away from Damon. It was the middle of the night, her mother was in the other room, and Damon showed up suddenly in the mood. She had figured he'd be too agitated after the whole fiasco at the cafe, or whatever the store was they went to with the Vampire, Rose they were suddenly hosting.

"What?" Damon growled.

"You're being... weird." Caroline muttered, eying him. There was something off about him, and before she had a chance to think about it, she bent to his neck, and inhaled.

"Oh." Caroline blinked at his scent, perfectly aware of what it meant after a moment of processing. "_Oh._"

"You had sex with someone else—a _Vampire_ someone." Caroline whispered in a conspiratorial manner. Damon blinked at the tease.

"You don't care?"

"Seriously?" Damon rose an eyebrow, and Caroline gave a sigh.

"Okay, I care a little, but, I mean, why would you go for some other chick when you have a perfectly hot blonde right here?" she asked with a flip of her hair. "I feel like you're insulting my sex skills."

"Sex skills?"

"You know what I mean." Caroline griped, slapping his chest. There was a resounding clap from the force she put into it that made Damon believe that she was more than a little annoyed. He chuckled, and rolled them over.

"I thought I needed a change of scenery," he said nipping at her neck. The move made Caroline shiver in an embarrassing mixture of fear, and arousal. She managed to regain her bearings, and flipped them over with Vampire speed, and looked down at Damon with a smirk.

"Fine then, but I get to be on top this time."

Damon would have protested, but then she rolled her hips _just so_, and he forgot his detest of not being in control.

He also forgot why he had bothered having sex with Rose in the first place.

* * *

**Thanks for the reviews :)**


	6. Chapter 6

"You smell like wet dog."

Caroline froze and internally cursed. She should have known by now that Damon would be able to get to her before she was able to get to Stefan. Damon was the master of sneaking up on her.

"Hm, weird," Caroline muttered, continuing on to Stefan's room, where she truly hoped he was.

"Stefan _isn't_ here," Damon hummed. Carol stiffened once more on the bottom step of the staircase and Damon wished she had stopped a little higher. Maybe then it would be easier to stare at her ass.

"A shame," Caroline murmured. She took a breath before turning and flashing him a smile. "Looks like I'll be back later." And there went her courage as well. It suddenly seemed like a _very_ bad idea to tell the Salvatore boys about Tyler.

"I thought I told you not to go near him?" Damon questioned flippantly.

"Apparently he didn't get the memo," she retorted.

"Then do a better job of avoiding him," Damon countered.

"Look. He's a _guy_. If I try to avoid him, he'll notice, and try to talk to me even _more_," Caroline explained. "I can't just outright ignore him."

"Do it anyway."

She huffed, annoyed at Damon before leaving the Salvatore home. Screw Damon and his telling her what to do. He was too busy with _Rose_ to notice who she was or wasn't hanging out with anyway.

Bastard.

* * *

**Two chapters left—maybe three. I'm not sure. **

**Sorryfor the long wait and thanks for all the encouraging reviews.**


	7. Chapter 7

After what she witnessed there was no way she was staying away from Tyler, but she still felt bad.

Caroline couldn't understand why.

"You smell like him again," Damon growled. Caroline blinked.

This wasn't his usual you're-annoying-me-growl. This was some serious anger that Damon was exerting.

"Are you okay?" Caroline asked, stepping closer to him. Her hand rose to caress his face before realizing that the gesture wouldn't be appreciated, and let her hand fall between them with accidental vampire speed.

"You will not be going near that mongrel again," Damon ordered furiously. Caroline felt her refusal in her throat, but swallowed it down when she looked into his eyes. He wasn't entirely sane at the moment and Caroline knew what happened when he got that look in his eyes.

People—_vampires_—died.

So she nodded and put some space between them. Damon followed her.

"Tyler isn't some project that you can work on—he's a werewolf. One bite and you'll die. It's not going to be quick. It will be slow, painful, _agonizing_." His eyes flashed with something else. They weren't maddened with insanity. Suddenly there was emotion, strong emotion, and before she had a chance to pinpoint it, he was gone, and she was left alone to wonder what the hell had just transpired between them.


	8. Chapter 8

Her encounter with Damon was swirling in her mind. It just didn't make any sense. It was so mind-boggling that it totally overshadowed the fact that both Matt _and_ Tyler decided that it was a good idea to kiss her that day.

Caroline remembered a time when Damon was evil—pure sadistic _evil_. He wouldn't hesitate to kill her.

Caroline had always known that.

She was expendable, and never once had that really bothered her—annoyed her, sure, but it was Damon, and the guy didn't care for many people. Mostly Elena. Probably Stefan. Their relationship was confusing.

Even when they started having sex again, she never let her guard down.

Or she _had_.

When Damon was angry, she didn't tense anymore, if her earlier actions were any indication. Caroline had gotten closer—was going to _touch_ him.

Caroline—or anyone else for that matter—would have never done that. At least a couple weeks ago she wouldn't of.

But Damon hadn't just been angry, she defended as she contemplated it further. Caroline's eyebrows furrowed in concentration as she recalled the reason she hadn't been afraid or wary.

Damon had been upset.

Caroline wasn't sure how she felt about that. Maybe she would wait a little longer to see Tyler. However, the desperation, confusion, and loneliness that Tyler seemed to carry these days flashed through her eyes and she changed her mind.

Maybe she'd avoid Damon instead—at least until Tyler got it together.


	9. Chapter 9

It was unbearably frustrating. Every fiber of his being was yelling at him to just end her life.

But then some tiny part of him whispered... well, something else and before he had a chance to decipher it, his body was already listening.

It was annoying and very... human of him. The thought made his scowl deepen.

In the end, however, it was hard to watch her suffer, and he ended Roses life in what had been the oddest kill yet. There had been no joy in it at all.

"Brooding?"

Damon turned to the voice, raising an eyebrow at the cheerful smile the girl gave him. It disappeared once she took a hold of his appearance.

"Ew." Damon was in her face the next moment, observing the way she looked into his eyes without fear; in defiance.

"What? Decided to see if I was _okay_?" Damon rolled his eyes. His tone held a dreamlike quality and he wondered how much more he'd drank in the fifteen minutes he'd been home. He honestly couldn't remember.

"Wow," Caroline murmured, looking down at her feet. "This is awkward."

Damon looked down at her head with furrowed eyebrows. Her voice was perfectly light, but the tension was still there. It wasn't exactly visible, but Damon just kind of knew Blondie—a lot more than he was willing to admit at the moment. The thought made him frown.

"I actually wanted to have sex," she admitted, not looking him in the eye. Whether it was out of actual embarrassment or to prevent his view of the actual emotion she felt, it didn't really matter.

None of it mattered.

His mouth was on her in the next second, devouring it, almost as if seeking comfort in the physical act. She squeaked into his mouth, tasting the booze, and partially dried blood that was smeared across his face, and covering his torso.

Caroline didn't understand why she was responding to the almost desperate and certainly sloppy kiss Damon was attacking her with. His visage at the moment was hardly that of the irresistible villain persona he normally carried, but her hands still found themselves wrapping around his neck.

She had no disillusionment of what Damon would be like when she arrived for an impromptu visit. Elena had given her a quick rundown of what had happened earlier that day. After coming up with hundreds of different reasons to not bother Damon—twenty-five percent of them consisting of _not_ wanting to die again—she still found herself heading toward the Salvatore Mansion sometime in the wee hours of the morning.

She hadn't actually talked or seen him in a bit, not since he'd order Caroline to stay away from Tyler—and she blatantly ignored those specific orders even after she helped him during his first full moon—and she hoped she didn't make things awkward.

However, Caroline still hadn't been surprised by Damon's look. Reeking of alcohol and drenched in human blood—was probably, admittedly, expecting it.

But Damon didn't need pity or comfort, at least, not in the way humans normally expressed it. So Caroline didn't just let Damon ravish her.

No—she kissed him back just as fiercely; furiously pushing, pulling, biting. They snarled at each other when they became difficult and the kisses and touches devolved into a bare form of wrestling where neither got the upper hand.

It was barbaric, it was different, it was something neither had ever experienced before, and by the end of it, they were in the cellar naked, exhausted, and thirsty for human blood.

"That was... weird. But not in a bad way. I think," Caroline expressed quietly.

"...You're coming along rather nicely," Damon commented. He hadn't held back, but neither had she. It had been rather liberating in a sense that it hadn't been very human at all.

Because he wasn't—human that was. And didn't want to pretend to be.

Damon wondered if Blondie had realized that she had lost her humanity the day she was turned. Wondered if being around Bonnie and Elena made it easier or harder to pretend she was human.

Damon wondered, but didn't ask.

* * *

**This isn't a drabble series anymore, and I seem to be following canon. I can't just end it where it is, but I don't want it to be too long either. I should probably change the summary, because I have no idea what I'm doing with this anymore.**


	10. Chapter 10

Damon hadn't been this angry in very long time.

He _told _her to stay away from Tyler. What happens when you don't listen to Damon? You get kidnapped by the damn pack, and tortur-

Damon snarled, having to physically restrain himself. He didn't want anybody to see how much Caroline's abduction truly affected him.

And it unfortunately _did_ effect him. It was too close, too much like Rose, but worse because it was_ Caroline._

He couldn't decide whether Jules or Tyler would be tortured. Maybe both.

Damon sighed and pinched his nose, trying to calm himself. There was no point in getting all worked up. They—mostly him—were going to kill them all one way or another and then he'll have to see what to do about Caroline. But... he would wait for the moment and let Stefan negotiate. They wanted Caroline alive after all.

The fact that he was included into "they" was disheartening.

Damon needed to kill something.

* * *

Caroline was tired. She felt odd in that, lately, she'd become so accustomed to having her emotions going haywire that now, after everything she's been through and Tyler... well, it was like her emotions were all used up and needed to recharge, and in the mean time she was left with nothing.

She felt better after Elena and Bonnie visited. She had a good cry, felt loved, and decided to not dwell on it further. Except things were different now.

Something deep within her was... different. She couldn't put her finger on it.

"Hey," Caroline greeted quietly. She wasn't sure how long Damon had been there as she brooded in silence, but he remained quiet and still.

Suddenly he was in front of her, staring with an intensity that made her feel bare. Yet, not a word was spoken, but it still felt like she had told him everything; the confusion and the emptiness that seemed to have taken refuge inside her.

"I'm sorry," Caroline whispered. If she had just listened to him...

"Shut up." Damon let out an unnecessary breath, somehow losing steam. It looked like he was at a loss at what to do—he'd probably been planning to yell at her, scold her, or bring up the ever adored "I told you so". Caroline smiled wryly before leaning her forehead onto his chest, clutching his shirt loosely. She didn't need sex, but she needed the comfort of his presence. Damon didn't move for a moment, but after a minute his hands wrapped around her shoulders, and they just stayed there. Just for a little while. Caroline just needed time to adjust.

"Thanks," Caroline whispered, her voice hoarse. Damon said nothing, but didn't move.

They were there until the sun rose.


	11. Chapter 11

**Special shout out to CarolineSalvatore for being the 100th reviewer!**

* * *

Caroline hadn't really seen Damon since then. Damon was trying to get information out of Elijah, while she was helping Bonnie and Jeremy with Luca. They were busy trying not to die so it hasn't really been at the forefront of her mind, but sometimes she worries about her relationship with him. It was turning more than just physical, and it was unbelievably frustrating, especially with Matt and Tyler added into the mix.

Not Tyler, she amends dejectedly. He jumped shipped and high-tailed it out of town. He had been a good friend, however brief, and no matter how much she resents him for being such a coward, she still sort of missed him. It didn't help that things went from bad to worse what with Bonnie losing her powers, Elijah being put out of the game, which isn't exactly bad except when it felt like they were trading him in for Katherine.

You know, the chick that killed her.

So Damon has been the last thing on her mind compared to all the other monumental things—even if she was constantly waiting for the end of the day to hear a confirmation that Damon wasn't dead yet, and she hadn't missed her chance. To do what she wasn't sure, but Caroline wasn't too keen worrying about it.

It certainly wasn't the reason why she's decided to sleep over the Salvatore Mansion that's for sure.

It wasn't to see Damon, nope—it was for the huge comfortable bed with a thread count she wouldn't be able to afford unless she saved every penny she earned for a year. So even thought Damon wasn't there, she still stripped down to her underwear, and burrowed herself into the covers and sighed. This is was a cloud felt like.

Sometime later, she felt someone come in, rousing her from sleep, but it only took her a moment to sniff out Damon's scent, and she relaxed. She tried not to dwell on how much of a change that was from before.

"I could get used to this," Damon leered, pulling the covers off.

"Sleepin' here," Caroline mumbled, turning over to glare at him. Damon smirked, removing his leather jacket and tight v-neck shirt. The smugness was easier to swallow when his eyes were roaming her body with unadulterated lust. There was no embarrassment between—they'd crossed too many lines together. Human and Vampire for her to do anything, but smile sleepily as he crawled over her. He was his usual cocky self, and a weight seemed to be leveled off at the sight of his normality.

"Hey," she muttered as he planted kisses up her chest, her collar bone, to her neck. "Don't ever forget me."

Damon paused his ministrations to level his face with her own, staring into her eyes. Caroline didn't waver, and finally Damon nodded. His hand began to peel the rest of her underwear off, agonizingly slow as the seriousness of her request wore off.

"Hard to forget you when you're always around."

* * *

**Damon had been very close to saying something un-Damon-like. **

**If you'd like to read my writing process or my random ramblings, I've gotten a Twitter account, the link is on my profile. I'm sure it'll be easier to bug me for updates on there.**


	12. Chapter 12

It's supposed to be a girl's night out, but Matt keeps sending those kicked puppy looks at her and she doesn't know what to do. Elena is oddly pushy; Caroline shares a look with Bonnie, and is glad to find that she isn't the only one who noticed. She got that Elena didn't think that Damon was good for her, but it was still irritating. Being nagged at wasn't fun.

The night goes to hell and Lucas' father shows up, angrily looking for Elena. She does what she can, but he uses his powers and it feels like her head is exploding. Then Matt—sweet, stupid Matt tried to save her and nearly gets killed in the process. Somehow, she doesn't lose it. Caroline cuts her wrist with her fangs and forces her blood into Matt's mouth. He's wide eyed, watching her like she's crazy even if he's dying. Caroline rolls her eyes as she closed his mouth and pinches his nose, and he involuntary swallows. He heals quickly enough after that.

"What the—this—you—" Matt incoherently stammered, clutching his previously bleeding throat.

"I'll explain in a bit. We have to get out of here," she muttered.

"No! What happened? Your face it—" Caroline had enough and grabbed his face to look into his eyes.

"Calm down, go home, and sleep this off. You won't say anything about this until I come and explain it to you," Caroline said clearly. She wanted to give him a choice about knowing. Give herself a chance to explain before he forgets. Matt nodded robotically, and she ran out, hoping that Elena was okay.

* * *

Elena and Katherine had switched places. Jonas was dead and Bonnie got her powers back. So now she and Damon were messing around because Caroline honestly couldn't help herself. Thank-god-we're-alive-sex sounded good at the time.

"Crap," Carolined muttered when she remembered Matt. Damon simply raises an eyebrow at her, and even though she's not looking at him still sees the face,

"Matt," she explained with a sigh.

"What about the loser?" Damon asked with a glower.

"Jonas slit his throat and I had to give him some of my blood," Caroline said.

"Please tell me you compelled him to forget," Damon said with a roll of his eyes.

"I compelled him to keep his mouth shut. I was sort of busy remember?" Caroline defended herself. "He's not allowed to talk until I give the okay."

"You're too soft," Damon growled. "Don't tell me you still "love" him?" That was the million dollar question wasn't it?

"No," she answered immediately. Caroline blinked at her own conviction. She could have sworn that she at least had a bit of feelings left over for him, but honestly thinking about itm she hadn't really thought about Matt—or Tyler—much.

"Oh?" Damon said, pleasantly surprised. He thought she was still hung up on him.

"I kind of really like the sex," Caroline said with a wink and headed to the bathroom to freshen up. Ignoring the smug look that Damon had trouble wiping off his face.

* * *

"You're hot, but not hot enough for a threesome," Caroline stated wryly. Katherine scowled in her direction before huffing and leaving the room. Like the smell of sex was poignant throughout the room? Sheesh, desperate much?

"So this threesome..." Damon began, pulling her onto his bed, unbuttoning his shirt that she was wearing.

"The one that's not gonna happen?" Caroline cleared up.

"Never say never," Damon said with a smirk.

"Bring it up in a century. Maybe I'll think about it then," she replied coyly.

"You're on."

They continued on as if they didn't just talk about being around one another for another hundred years. Despite the jesting quality in which they mentioned it, there was a very real possibility of them actually being together sometime in the distant future.

Or maybe not so distant because after making out fir a bit, they fell asleep. Together, in each others' arms.


	13. Chapter 13

"I'm beginning to think that you and Damon are together. Officially," Elena commented. Caroline didn't bat an eyelash at the untactful change in subject. She took a sip of her cola, making an obnoxious noise in the process, before finally answering.

"What makes you say that?" Caroline questioned. The idea wasn't new to her, except now she wasn't into fooling herself. She knew exactly what Damon was after—and for once, it coincided with what she wanted as well. Calling it a relationship wouldn't exactly be a lie, but they weren't a couple. A label like that gave it a more intimate connotation, and the idea of being in love with Damon made all the color drain from her face.

"Well, you guys spend all your time together—"

"—to have sex."

"—and Damon has stopped seeing other people."

"Uh, no. He had sex with Rose." Caroline didn't really get how those two points meant they were a couple. Elena looked floored by the confession.

"It can't all be about sex!" Elena exclaimed desperately. Caroline furrowed her eyebrows at her.

"Why do you care?" Caroline asked.

"Because you're my fri—"

"That's not the reason," Caroline cut her off, still eying her. She should have noticed that something was up, but she would have guessed that Elena was stressing about putting them in danger again as was the norm lately—but there was something else. It was the way she kept picking at her and Damon's relationship. How Elena had been pushing her toward Matt, that she got mad when she made Matt forget everything.

"I can't be worried about you?" Elena retorted, hurt.

"You can, but that's not why you keep bugging me about Damon," Caroline said. "You're jealous." Suddenly she felt stupid for not realizing it in the first place. Elena blushed, looking down and protesting weakly.

"Please, Elena, don't insult my intelligence," she said with a wave of her hand. "So you're jealous. What are you going to do about it?"

"W-what?" Elena stuttered.

"You're jealous. Which means you have feelings for Damon. You can't just pretend you don't, especially if it clearly bothers you that I'm having sex with him," Caroline explained with a shrug. Sure, she felt extremely annoyed, but she wasn't about to get into a fight with her best friend over a guy.

"N-no—" Wow, Elena was really flustered over this. Caroline didn't understand what the big deal was. So Elena had feelings for Damon. Funnily enough, Bonnie and her had seen this coming from a mile away. Elena was just very good at being in denial.

"You need to figure things out," Caroline said with a shrug. It wasn't her problem. Yes, as her best friend she should help out; try to knock some sense into her and give her advice or whatever, but as the girl that was sleeping with the guy she had feelings for, Caroline didn't think any of her opinions would be taken too seriously.

"B-but-"

"No buts. Go think." Caroline left some money for the food that hadn't arrived yet and left.

* * *

Caroline wasn't sad or annoyed.

She felt defeated.

She knew that with Elena having to face her feelings, Damon would want to stop having sex with her if it gave him a chance with her. That's what she would do if she was in his situation. As callous as she acted with Elena, she did care, however much she wanted to deny it. The thing was, Damon was the best sex she ever had and it had really helped her come into her own. It gave her confidence in herself as a person and as a vampire.

As weird as it sounded... he helped her become Caroline.

"Wow. This room reeks of pure joy." Caroline reflexively rolled her eyes. Damon continued on,"No really, I can feel it seep into my body."

"You're hilarious," Caroline deadpanned. Her eyes never left the book she stopped reading twenty pages ago, and turned the page to keep up the act. She remembered what was going on at least, but grew frustrated when Damon sat behind her, his legs sprawled out on either side of her, and his arms wrapping around her waist. She suddenly regretted her choice of a tank top and underwear, the clothes far too revealing for the situation.

"I know," he answered simply, resting his chin on her shoulder. Sensing no further quips, Caroline resumed her reading, hyper aware of his body tightly pressed up against her own. She pulled her knees on top of his thighs so that they were a little more comfortable on her bed. Only Damon would want to be so intimately wrapped when there was so much space. It made her realize that she would no longer be able to act on her impulses for him and the thought brought a frown to her face. Sex with anybody else didn't appeal to her.

"Don't you have something else to do?" Caroline muttered, suddenly uncomfortable.

"Believe it or not, keeping Elena safe isn't a full time job. We do have down times," he said into her ear. His breath made her shiver and she licked her lips out of habit. He brushed his lips against her collar bone and Caroline groaned.

"We shouldn't," she breathed. She felt Damon's hands begin to move and kept them in place, fearful that anything further would break her resolve. She wasn't going to be the reason he missed his chance at true love.

"Why?"

"Elena has feelings for you." Caroline felt her heart in her throat when that slipped out, and it shocked Damon enough that he didn't hold on when she pulled away.

"What-"

"Elena has been in denial. She has feelings for you and I've finally gotten her to at least acknowledge them. This is your chance Damon so we need to stop fooling around. Get your shit together and go on the offensive, but if we keep hanging out, it will ruin your chances of a serious relationship with her and I can't have that. We're friends now and I take care of my friends—"

"I got it Blondie," Damon interrupted, covering her mouth before she could get another word out. Damon was uncharacteristically serious and it hurt to see, so she squeezed her eyes shut. "Friend huh?"

"No Damon. I hang out with you in my spare time because I like the way you sparkle in the sun," Caroline mocked. Damon mussed her hair so that it laid messily over her face, and she glared as she tried to resume some semblance of normalcy.

"You're going to miss this," Damon stated turning serious. Caroline ignored the comment and returned to her previous spot. "Don't pretend there wasn't something—"

"Damon, all there was was sex. Don't twist this into another love triangle. I'm a big girl, I don't need you to hold my hand, baby vampire or not." Caroline grew angry. Why was he making this so _difficult_? Wasn't it enough that he was winning over the girl he loved?

_Fuck, I _am_ getting feelings for this guy. _Caroline felt her eyes burn frustration. Always falling for the wrong guy or the guy she couldn't have was getting old. Didn't she learn her lesson the first time?

"You're the one pushing for this," Damon stated gravely. Instead of flashing away, he slowly rose, and purposefully walked out of her room.

"This is so stupid," Caroline muttered, palm to her forehead. However ridiculous and idiotic it was, tears ran down her face with the resolve that they were going to be the only tears she was going to shed for the man that had never been hers to cry over in the first place.


	14. Chapter 14

"Me and Damon are over," Caroline informed Stefan.

"I was under the impression that you were never together?" Stefan said with a raised eyebrow. Caroline faltered for a second before just sighing.

"We aren't—weren't. What I mean is we aren't having sex anymore." Caroline continued to wrack her brain for a way to explain everything without the detail of Elena's possible infidelity. "Damon is obviously in love with Elena and I really don't want to be in the way. I don't want to be a part of some weird love square." She gestured to the heavens before turning silent when she saw the sad look in his eyes.

"Elena told me what happened," he admitted. Caroline cringed. She loved Stefan like a brother—it was impossible not to like him when he tried so hard to do good and even if she wasn't Elena's best friend, he would have helped her anyway. She hated that she didn't think this would hurt him—and she encouraged his brother to take his girlfriend no less!

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"We're on something of a break," Stefan continued. He watched her and Caroline stared at the space between them like a petulant child, unable to look him in the face much less his eyes. After a minute or so, Stefan mimicked her earlier sigh.

"It's okay. Eventually, this was going to happen, no matter how much I don't want it to," Stefan murmured. "You aren't wrong and I can't fault you for not wanting to be involved."

"Who do you think she's going to uh, pick?" Caroline asked after a bit of silence. Stefan remained pensive, mulling over the question so he could answer, but decided to just be truthful.

"I don't know and we probably won't know until this whole mess with Klaus is cleared up," he said with a shrug.

"She loves you more, you know?" Caroline comforted. "When something happens to her, her first thought is to go to you. Not just about the bad, but the good too."

"It doesn't change the fact that she may be developing feelings for my brother," Stefan argued, letting all the hurt leak out of his voice. At that she couldn't help, but engulf him into a hug. It made her realize that she had been neglectful to her friend, and that was one of her big no's.

"There's nothing I can do or say about that that's going to make it suck any less. It hurts just like someone not wanting you because you're a vampire hurts." While her feelings for Matt had waned, the burn of his rejection hadn't. It still clicked away at insecurities she couldn't fully control. "But now I'm single, ready to mingle and you are a man in need of a distraction—you can be my wingman." Caroline wiggled her eyebrows for extra effect. Stefan chuckled softly and looked down, then looked up at her through his lashes with a grin.

"Know any good bars?" Stefan said with a wiggle of his eyebrows. Caroline laughed and played along.

"I know this great place in Mystic Falls that _everybody_ goes to," she said with a wave of her hand.

"Have I been there?"

"Like I said—_everybody _has been to the Grill."

Caroline and Stefan grinned at each other.

* * *

**A bit of Stefan/Caroline bonding. I love their relationship. In a way, it can be construed as a close friendship or in a non-platonic way, whatever floats your boat really.**

**Of course my preferred pairing will always be Daroline, because with them, it can never be _just _friendship, since the beginning. **

**Thanks for reading.**


	15. Chapter 15

**I really couldn't figure out how to connect the end with what I've written, but more on that later...**

**Special shout out to Lady Shaye for being awesome!**

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Damon hated this. Hated that Elena wanted him to be the better man, hated that he wanted to be the better man for her. Hated that he knew what Caroline tasted like, hated that he knew what her favorite color was (none and ever changing, she was a fashion diva; playing favoritism would wreak havoc on her clothes). Hated what Elena's doe eyes did to his stomach, hated that Caroline's sleepy countenance made him smile involuntarily. Hated that he couldn't think of more things to hate about Blondie, but found lots of irritating things about Elena.

The way she used him, the way she played with his emotions, the way she always, without fail, chose Stefan. The way she managed to hurt the very little feelings he scraped up after having them off for decades. Hated the way he didn't know the same things about Elena like he did Blondie. Hated that he didn't know much about Elena at all. Hated that she didn't want to get to _know _him, but wanted to change him anyway.

The way he was angsting over two women instead of one. Debating whether it was pathetic enough to warrant the removal of his ring. It was a good thing he liked himself too much for that to be anything, but a passing thought. Still, he had a chance with Elena and he could exploit it. Knew how to push Elena further onto his metaphorical line.

And then he thought of Blondie.

With her it... well, it wouldn't be any easier that's for sure. There was a lot of baggage from when she was human, the way she still sort of resented him for using her. It was understandable, but still something they could overcome—had been overcoming. No, getting her to love him would be just as hard a task as with Elena, but the loving her part—that would be _easy. _

Damon was always trying to stop himself from smiling at Caroline's antics. Elena wanted to protect her friends while Caroline wanted to make them _happy. _It was such a rare trait that even he secretly admired her for it. He wondered if she knew what made him happy.

She probably did.

Damon wondered if he just figured out his decision.

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**This chapter deleted itself twice. **

**TWICE.**

**I'm trying really hard to get myself out of this writers block, so go ahead and send me any requests like starzee did. I don't have a lot of time, but I will get to everything eventually, even if you don't hear from me for months.**

**The thing about this story is that I already have the ending written, but I can't seem to connect the ending between the rest of the story despite help from Lady Shaye (hence the shout out). There's a bunch of character development that I'm not sure how to get to so that's what I'm struggling with at this point and this chapter is my attempt of rectifying that. We'll probably get to Caroline's point of view in the next chapter.**

**Thanks for being so patient!**


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